Ra226

Rn222

Po218

Pb214

Bi214

Terrestrial radionuclidesAn example from the U238 family

α

α

α

β

β

γ

γ

γ

Exposure to ionizing radiation

Εξωτερική έκθεση

Εσωτερική έκθεση

Our body is penetrated each hourapproximately by:

30 000 α- and β-particles from theradon daughters deposited in therespiratory tract

15 000 000 β-particles from the K40 in our tissues

200 000 000 γ-quantafrom the terrestrial radionuclides

500 000 particles ofcosmic origin

Internal exposure

External exposure

Average population doses through various pathways

Estimates for USA, in μSv

3600 – total average

Sources:

2000 – radon inhalation

390 – isotopes in our body

280 – terrestrial radiation

270 – cosmic radiation

10 – cosmogenic isotopes

600 – technogenic exposure

(mainly medical exposure)

Terrestrial radionuclides

Th232 Series

Th232 Ra228 Ac228 Th228 Ra224 Rn220 Po216 Pb212 Bi212 Po212

Typical concentrations : 20 – 200 Bq/kg

U238 Series

U238 Th234 Pa234m U234 Th230 Ra226 Rn222 Po218 Pb214 Bi214 Po214 Pb210 Bi210 Po210

Typical concentrations: 20 – 200 Bq/kg

U235 Series

U235 Th231 Pa231 Ac227 Th227 Ra223 Rn219 Po215 Pb211 Bi211 Tl207

Typical concentrations : 1 – 10 Bq/kg

K40

Typical concentrations : 100 – 1000 Bq/kg

50V, 87Rb, 113Cd, 115In, 123Te, 138La, 142Ce, 144Nd, 147Sm, 152Gd, 174Hf, 176Lu, 187Re, 190Pt, 192Pt, 209Bi.

Typical concentrations : very low, radiologically insignificant.

Concentrations of terrestrial radionuclides - Greece

U238 Series Th232 Series K40

Reg. averages: 20-60 Bq/kg Reg. averages : 20-60 Bq/kg Reg. averages : 200-800 Bq/kg

Terrestrial radiation - GreeceRegional dose rate averages, nGy h-1

Natural radionuclides in air

U238 Series (Rn222 (radon) and its decay products)

Rn222 Po218 Pb214 Bi214 Po214

Typical concentrations: 30 – 200 Bq/m3 indoors

2 – 5 Bq/m3 outdoors

Th232 Series (Rn220 (thoron) and its decay products)

Rn220 Po216 Pb212 Bi212 Po212

Typical concentrations : typically 10 times lower than those of Rn222

Cosmogenic isotopes

C14, H3, Be710Be, 26Al, 36Cl, 80Kr, 32Si, 39Ar, 22Na, 35S, 37Ar, 33P, 32P, 38Mg, 24Na, 38S, 31Si, 18F, 39Cl, 38Cl

Natural radionuclides in marine waterTypical concentrations, Bq/m3

U238 - 33 H3 - 0.6

K40 - 11000 C14 - 5

Rb87 - 1100

Natural radionuclides in foodTypical concentrations, Bq/kg

Products Κ40 Ra226

Banana 130 0.04

Brasil nuts 210 40 - 250

Carrots 125 0.02 - 0.07

Potatoes 125 0.04 - 0.1

Beer 15 -

Beef 110 0.02

Drinking water 0 - 0.5 0 - 0.01

Natural radioactivity of foodTotal activity concentration, Bq kg-1

Product Total

activity conc.

Vegetable oil 180 Bq kg-1

Milk 50

Alcoholic drinks 45

Beer 15

Drinking water 0.7

Brazil nuts 500

Bananas 110

Tea 15

Pastry 5

Pistachios 4.5

Natural radionuclides in human bodyTypical values, Bq

Radionuclide Total Average daily

activity intake

U238 1.1 0.023

Th232 0.11 0.011

K40 4400 100

Ra226 1.1 0.08

C14 15000 280

H3 23 1

Po210 37

Technologically enhanced natural radioactivity (TENR)Radiologically important cases

Uranium mining and millingEnhanced concentrations of U-series nuclides in areas of waste deposition

Lignite power plantsAir and soil pollution with lignite ash of enhanced natural radioactivity

Building materialsUse of lignite ash as cement component, phosphate byproducts, granites

Indoor radonThe oldest case of TENR, a major contributor to the exposure of the population

Radon spasA questionable practice with TENR aspects

Also: Phosphate fertilizers, well water sources

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80

Ετος

No

/ M

T

Nuclear tests in the atmosphereNumber and total power per year

Year

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

Ετος

Ετή

σια

/ σ

υνο

λικ

ή ε

ναπ

όθε

ση

Cs1

37,

Bq

/m2

Nuclear tests in the atmosphereAnnual and total deposition of Cs137, Bq m-2, Denmark

..................... Nuclear tests .......................... ^ Chernobyl

Year

.

.

.

.

.

.

Total deposition

Annual deposition

Nuclear tests in the atmosphereEvaluation of Cs137 pollution in Europe

Nuclear tests in the atmosphereRadioactive pollution of food, sample values, Bq/kg

Year Country Product Nuclide Concentration

1957 UK Milk powder 137Cs 321959 USA Milk 137Cs 31961 USA Milk 137Cs 21962 USA Fresh milk 137Cs 71963 USA Milk 137Cs 5.61964-65 USA Milk 137Cs 51985 Finland Milk 137Cs 0.23 1957 USA Milk 131I 371962 USA Fresh milk 131I 201885 USA Milk 131I 1.3

1962 USA Fresh milk 90Sr 1.81963 USA Milk 90Sr 1.0

1960 ΗΠΑ Beef meat 137Cs 1.21985 Finland Beef meat 137Cs 0.9

1980-85 Finland Lake fish 137Cs 421984 Spain Fish 137Cs 1 – 61985 Ireland Fish 137Cs 8 – 35

1963-67 USA, Utah Animal foodstuff 137Cs 112

Nuslear tests in the atmosphereRadioactive pollution of food, Cs137, Bq kg-1, USA, 1993

Product Maximum Average

Leafy vegetables 210 21Other vegetables 38 3Fruits 20 3Potatoes 11 1.4Pastry 23 4.3Milk products 48 5Fish 7.6 1.9Eggs 1 0.4

Coffee 24 16Tea 950 47Aromatic species 580 29

Nuclear tests in the atmosphereMonthly intake of Cs137, Bq, USA, 1993

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Dec-62 Mar-63 Jul-63 Oct-63 Jan-64 May-64 Aug-64

Inta

ke o

f C

s137

, B

q/m

on

th

Total intake in 1993: 3300 Bq. Related dose: 42 μSv

Radioactive pollution of soilRelation between radioactive deposition and rainfall

0.1

1

10

100

1000

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Βροχόπτωση, mm

Ρα

διε

νερ

γό

ς εν

απ

όθε

ση

, kb

q/m

2 Cs137

Zr95

Rainfall, mm

R

ad

ioa

cti

ve

de

po

sit

ion

, k

Bq

m-2

Radioactive pollution of food chain - ΑAir - soil pathways of radioactive pollution

Source

Inhalation

( External radiation )

Direct pollution

FoodAir Soil

Plants

Animals

MAN

Pollution of – and from water sources

Radioactive pollution of food chain - ΒFresh and marine water pathways of radioactive pollution

Pollutionsource

Direct pollution

FoodAir

Plants

Fish

Lakes,

Sea

SoilSoil pathways to man

MAN

FishRivers

Washout, irrigation

Radioactive pollution of plantsVarious paths of pollutants propagation

Radioactive deposition

Propagation and fixation in soil

Root uptake

External pollution, foliar uptake

Air clearance

Washout

Plant metabolism

Resuspension

Evaporation

Evaporation

Base uptake

Organic layer

Radioactive pollution of animalsVarious pathways

Inhalation

Food

Meat

Milk

Chernobyl accident - GreeceRadioactive deposition of Cs137 in Europe

Chernobyl accident - GreeceRadioactive deposition of Cs137 – NTUA and ERL data

Chernobyl accident - Greece Marine water pollution (surface) with Cs137 – ERL evaluation

Chernobyl accident - Greece Average 1st year and 50-year doses through various pathways, μSv

Pathway 1st year 50 years

Inhalation 22 22External exposure 52 190Food - water 420 500

TOTAL 490 710

The radiologically most important food chain pathways

Grass pollution with Ι131 > Sheep and goat milkGrass pollution with Cs137 > Sheep and goat milk and meatPollution of fruits and vegetables

Animal foodstuff pollutio > Meat and milk products, 1986/87Cereals pollution > Bread and pastry, 1986/87

Chernobyl accident - Greece Evaluation of weekly doses. Comparison with dose due to natural radioactivity.

Dose rate, μSv per week

Chernobyl

Natural radioactivity

Chernobyl accident - Greece Average weekly doses due to Ι131, μSv

0.1

1

10

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Εβδομάδα

Εβ

δο

μα

δια

ία δ

όσ

η I1

31

, μS

v

Κατανομή δόσεων από I131

10%

22%

42%

15%

11%Κρέας

Γάλα

Λαχαν. Φυλ.

Λαχαν. Αλλα

Φρούτα

Week Contribution of various foods

MeatMilkLeafy veg.Other veg.Fruits

Chernobyl accident - Greece Monthly doses from Cs137 and Cs134, μSv

1

10

100

1 3 5 7 9 11

Μήνας

Μη

νια

ίες

δό

σει

ς λ

όγ

ω κ

αισ

ίου

Κατανομή δόσεων από Cs137 και Cs134

15%

15%

0%

2%23%

45%

Κρέας

Γάλα

Λαχαν. Αλλα

Φρούτα

Ζυμαρικά

Month Contribution of various foods

MeatMilkOther veg.FruitsPastry

Chernobyl accident - Greece

Κατανομή δόσεων από I131, Cs137 και Cs134 στα τρόφιμα

14%

17%

9%5%20%

35%Κρέας

Γάλα

Λαχαν. Φυλ.

Λαχαν. Αλλα

Φρούτα

Ζυμαρικά

Contribution of different foods to the dose due to Cs137, Cs134 and I131

Meat

Milk

Leafy veg.

Other veg.

Fruits

Pastry

Countermeasures: intervention levels

Countermeasure Dose levels, mSv Average dose,

Low level High level Organ Greece

Sheltering 5 50 Whole body 0.02

Administration

of stable iodine 50 500 Thyroid 0.2

Evaquation 50 500 Whole body 0.05

Relocation 50 500 Whole body 0.05

Food banning 5 50 Whole body 0.45

Food countermeasures Advices* to avoid consumption of sheep milk and leafy vegetables

Applied in Greece: Control of cheese, cereals and meat and application of the EU limits

Temporary banning of small animals consumption

Temporary banning of specific types of bread